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Vase Thrifted At Goodwill For $4 Sells At Auction For Over $100K

Author Phil Harris
After an auction house confirmed the authenticity of the vase Jessica Vincent bought at a Richmond, Virginia Goodwill store for $4, it ended up selling for a lot more. (Photo by Avosb/iStock via Getty Images)

I love stories like this one. Jessica Vincent has been shopping at thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets since she was a child and appears to have an eye for finding treasure among the so-called junk. On a June 2023 visit to a Goodwill store in Richmond, Virginia, she saw something that caught her attention. It was an elegant glass vase with red and green brush strokes that she bought for $3.99. Given the colors, maybe Vincent thought it would be a nice decorative piece for the Christmas season. Or perhaps she knew it was worth a lot more than 4 bucks.

Vincent could see that the vase had markings indicating that it was Italian Murano glass. After sharing photos of the vase with a glassware group on social media, she learned that it was a rare piece designed by architect Carlo Scarpa in 1942. Produced by the famed glassworks company Venini, the vase is part of Scarpa’s “Pennellate” series. Due to the complexity of manufacturing, very few were ever produced. According to The New York Times, Vincent thought it might be worth $1,000 or $2,000. She was just a bit off.

Vincent’s Very Valuable Vase

After the Wright Auction House in New York City confirmed the vase’s authenticity, it was listed for sale with an estimated value between $30- and $50-thousand.  The vase ended up bringing in more than double the initial estimate, selling for $107-thousand to an “esteemed collector.” After the auction house took its cut, Vincent walked away with more than $83-thousand! Jessica Vincent says she enjoyed having found and briefly owning the piece, but needed money more than the vase. She also thought it would be better appreciated in the art world.

As soon as the auction was over, Vincent was back out thrifting, looking for the next hidden treasure that catches her eye. “It’s just something I will always do,” she told CNN, “It’s the thrill of the hunt.” Have you ever found anything at a garage sale or second-hand shop that was worth far more than its price tag indicated?

Phil Harris is 50% of "Phil & Mel in the Afternoon" on K104.7. He has been with the station since 2013 and on the air in Charlotte since 2000. Before coming to the Queen City, Phil worked for radio stations in Pittsburgh, Austin, and Seattle. In addition to the weekly "Throwback Threesome" music video feature, Phil writes about things that matter to Charlotte sports fans and pet owners. He happens to be both.

The Best Places to Shop at Discount and Liquidation Centers in Charlotte, North Carolina

Everyone should be concerned about saving money in today’s world. You need to know where to shop when it comes to getting a good discount when everything is going up in price.

It’s a good thing I’m here to help. As I love a good deal, I often visit discount stores around Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Here are the top seven stores I’ve fallen in love with over the past few months. You are sure to find something great for cheap at any of these discount department stores or liquidation centers. Charlotte, North Carolina has a number of Discount and Liquidation Centers that are worth checking out.

  • Gabes Discount Store

    Let’s start with Gabes. There are so many great deals at thThere are several locations in the Charlotte area, including one in the university area and another in Pineville/Matthews./Matthews. Whether you’re looking for your favorite brands or styles, Gabe’s has the best prices. The store has brands such as Express, Loft, Free People, and Addias. Almost every day, you can save up to 70% off department store prices. Give yourself some time to search the racks when they are so crowded. Gabes’ coupon program is one of my favorite things. When you rack up points, you get $5 off coupons. With the coupon program, I always find so many great deals.

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  • W.T. Harris Goodwill

    Every time I buy a new item, people ask me where I get it for such a low price. Thrifting is the answer. I frequent a thrift store at least once a week. A favorite of mine is located at 3710 W W.T.Harris Blvd, Charlotte, NC 2826. It is here that I find clothing, things for my own use, purses, new gifts, and items for my home. New furniture and items from Target, as well as items from Home Goods, are always for sale there. I found new rugs, jewelry holders, totes, and other items at Belk during my last visit. Its definitely a spot to check out if you want to treasure hunt and find great discounts. You can see more on bargain hunting and thrifting at this Goodwill here.

  • The Depot at Gibson Mill

    The Depot is a great place to spend a few hours if you really want to browse. You can find this store near Charlotte, North Carolina in Concord. This is a huge antique store with discount booths, deals, and some of the most unique items I have ever seen. Shopping is a great way to find beautiful treasures and get a good workout at the same time. For pure inspiration, this is always a great place to stop. It looks like some of the booths came straight from Pinterest.

  • Bargain Hunt

    Need some gifts? Maybe things for your home? Bargain Hunt is a great place to search. Charlotte’s store is located at 8110 University City Blvd. This place is a treaure hole. The store carries various name brand products like Hurley, Betsey Johnson and even Target. In the back of the store there are rows of tables filled with boxes and bargains. Some boxes you have to open to see what is inside so be prepared to search. If you want even bigger savings, there are $1 and $5 bins you can sort through.

  • Goodwill Bins

    I use to live less than 5 minutes away from the bins here in Charlotte and I am so angry at myself that I never went. For two years I was so close to incredible deals. I go crazy thinking about the savings and designer finds I must have missed out on. But, such is life. If you want to score clothes and items that just need a little TLC but are fabulous, check out the bins. These are located of Wilkinson Blvd. but there are several discount Goodwill locations in North Carolina. One that I am wanting to try soon is located in Asheville. How these locations work are you search through giant blue bins of items and throw what you like in a rolling blue bin. Once you are done, you pay by the pound at the front. I ended up usually finding 10-12 items for and pay only $8. I have found everything like new items from Target and gently worn Free People shirts.

  • Ace Liquidation Center

    Located at 744 Church St N in Concord, North Carolina is a really awesome liquidation center. This is a one price store, and they restock their bins every Friday and Saturday. They fill them with over 10,000 new items. They have cooking items, clothing, electronics and more. If you check out their website here, you can get an idea of their pricing. On Thursday after 2pm you can score a whole bag of items for only $15! How cool is that?

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  • All New & Cheap

    This was a new find for me and it is so cool. Located at 724 Montana Dr suite A in Charlotte, North Carolina this is a liquidation style warehouse with target products and more. During my last visit I found tons of new rugs, lamps, mirrors, wall art, desks and dog beds. You can really score great deals at this spot and even grab gifts for future events. One thing I would say is download the Taregt app and scan the barcodes on boxes when you shop. This will help you visually see what you might want to purchase. In addition, these items are new and not damaged. Head to their website today.

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